There is a strong relation between early knowledge of nursery rhymes and successes in reading and spelling, nursery rhymes have the following benefits:
- Nursery rhymes enable young children to hear, identify and begin to manipulate letter sounds (early phonic skills)
- The repetitive nature of nursery rhymes help children learn how language works
- Reciting and learning new nursery rhymes aids children's memory skills
- Nursery rhymes are an early form of poetry and support children's developing imagination
- Reciting nursery rhymes allows children to explore pitch, volume as well as rhythm
- Nursery rhymes can spread across generations, helping to form bonds between children and their grandparents
- Nursery rhymes are portable, they can be enjoyed anytime, anyplace (and remember they can be a good temper tantrum diffuser, as often children cannot resist joining in with their favourite rhyme!)
Below are just a few favourite nursery rhymes for you to enjoy with your child.
Incy Wincy Spider
Incy Wincy spider climber the water spout.
Down came the rain and washed the spider out.
Out came the sunshine and dried up all the rain.
So Incy Wincy spider climbed up the spout again.
Pat-a-cake, Pat-a-cake
Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake, baker's man,
bake me a cake as fast as you can;
pat it and prick and mark it with 'B',
and put it in the oven for baby and me.
Jack and Jill
Jack and Jill went up the hill
to fetch a pail of water.
Jack fell down and broke his crown
and Jill came tumbling after.
Up Jack got and home did trot
as fast as he could caper
he went to bed to mend his head
with vinegar and brown paper.
Humpty Dumpty
Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall.
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.
All the King's horses and all the King's men
couldn't put Humpty together again.
Twinkle Twinkle, Little Star
Twinkle, twinkle, little star
how I wonder what you are,
up above the world so high
like a diamond in the sky.
Twinkle, twinkle, little star
how I wonder what you are.
Ring a-Ring o' Roses
Ring a-ring o' roses,
a pocket full of posies.
A-tishoo! A-tishoo!
We all fall down.
Ashes in the water,
ashes in the sea,
we all jump up
with a one-two-three.
1-2-3-4-5 Once I caught a Fish Alive
1-2-3-4-5 once I caught a fish alive,
6-7-8-9-10 then I let it go again.
Why did you let it go?
Because it bit my finger so.
Which finger did it bite?
This little finger on my right.
The Grand Old Duke of York
Oh the Grand Old Duke of York,
he had ten thousand men,
he marched them up to the top of the hill
and he marched them down again.
And when they were up, they were up,
and when they were down, they were down,
and when they were only halfway up,
they were neither up nor down.
Hickory Dickory Dock
Hickory Dickory Dock,
the mouse ran up the clock,
the clock struck one,
the mouse ran down
Hickory Dickory Dock.
Tick tock tick tock.
Hickory Dickory Dock,
the mouse ran up the clock
the clock struck two,
the mouse said BOO
Hickory Dickory Dock.
Tick tock tick tock.
Hickory Dickory Dock,
the mouse ran up the clock,
the clock struck three,
the mouse said Weeee,
Hickory Dickory Dock.
Tick tock tick tock.
Little Miss Muffet
Little Miss Muffet
sat on a tuffet
eating her curds and whey;
along came a spider,
and sat down beside her,
and frigthened Miss Muffet away.
Two Little Dicky Birds
Two little dicky birds sitting on a wall,
One named Peter, one named Paul;
Fly away, Peter! Fly away, Paul!
Come back, Peter! Come back, Paul!